Singles – The Cornell Daily Sunhttp://cornellsun.com
Independent Since 1880Mon, 13 Aug 2018 05:39:51 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.6.4http://i2.wp.com/cornellsun.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/cropped-red-on-white-website-icon-2.png?fit=32%2C32Singles – The Cornell Daily Sunhttp://cornellsun.com
3232Paradise Reclaimed? “The Gate” by Björkhttp://cornellsun.com/2017/09/23/paradise-reclaimed-the-gate-by-bjork/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss
http://cornellsun.com/2017/09/23/paradise-reclaimed-the-gate-by-bjork/#commentsSat, 23 Sep 2017 15:22:15 +0000http://cornellsun.com/?p=2109567I was idly scrolling through Facebook when I saw Bjӧrk’s announcement that her new single, “The Gate,” would be released on September 18th. I was ecstatic. I was anxious. Inevitably, though, I got caught up with school; I washed helplessly away on tides of homework and caffeine.

I was aimlessly adrift until September 14th, when Bjӧrk made another surprise announcement that she was too excited to wait and that she would be releasing “The Gate” at midnight that night (technically the 15th). I waited impatiently through classes that day. I got home at six. As if I needed an actual reason to, I procrastinated on my homework. I ate dinner. I procrastinated again.

Then suddenly, it was time.

Before I continue, though, let me interject by professing my love for Bjӧrk. I loved Debut; I loved Post; I loved Homogenic; I loved her in the movie Dancer in the Dark; I loved Vespertine; I loved Medúlla; I loved Volta; I loved Biophilia. I listened, enraptured, to all of these albums, each one inspiring strange and wonderful feelings to brew inside of me. I would spend hours with eyes closed, daydreaming of impressions, of splashes of color, of worlds both known and unknown, while Bjӧrk cascaded throughout the background.

And then I got to Vulnicura. Don’t get me wrong, I loved some songs from that album too (“Lionsong,” “Notget” and “Family,” to name a few). But for the first time, no matter how many times I listened to some of the other songs off that album, I did not feel the same unrestrained, child-like love that I felt — and still feel for almost all of Bjӧrk’s other songs. I could not convince myself into the role of the giddy admirer. I could not dole my love out unconditionally.

At most, each time I replayed these songs, I felt a repulsively mature and unsettlingly adult part of myself rise up in me — some unwanted beast of sophistication and restraint — and watched helplessly as it formed my reactions into some vague, lukewarm sense of appreciation. If someone asked me what I thought about “Stonemilker” or “Quicksand” I would say, nebulously, that I liked them. That they were certainly interesting songs. That I appreciated them. And if someone asked me why I appreciated them, I would smile uneasily while grasping for buzzwords such as complex and emotional (though I felt no strong emotions myself).

Alas, this despicable appreciation word is how I also feel about Bjӧrk’s new single “The Gate.” After my first listen, I felt confused. Yet, knowing that most of Bjӧrk’s songs (barring a couple from Post and Homogenic) are confusing on the first listen, I repeated the song again. I was still optimistic. But by my 16th listen, I was desperate and I was frustrated and I still couldn’t use the love word. I wanted to, badly. In fact, the child within me was begging pitifully for me to have some emotional awakening to “The Gate.”

But, I only like it. I only appreciate it. It certainly is an interesting song. It is complex. It is emotional. (I am smiling uneasily).

As is standard for Bjӧrk, “The Gate” is unique. The closest resemblance is probably found on Vulnicura. It is reflective and experimental, subdued and minimalistic. Bjӧrk is serious and unmistakably matured. She is not singing about fountains of blood, tiny sparks (and a girl named Isobel), violent happiness, triumphant hearts or hidden places.

But, though it certainly possesses a subdued Vulnicura-esque quality, “The Gate” is not another sad, suffering song. Bjӧrk herself described the song “as essentially a love song, but… in a more transcendent way.” However, “The Gate” is not a love song in the same way “Like Someone in Love” is a love song. Bjӧrk’s heart is no longer littered with naïve charm and bliss. Hers is a heart that has been wounded by divorce and heartbreak, and has somehow recovered, albeit slowly and painfully. Hers is a heart with unhealable scars, as she observes in what I think is the most powerful line of the song: “Didn’t used to be so needy/ Just more broken than normal.” Her heart has risen up once more, though it is weighed down with past burdens. Nonetheless, her heart has risen.

But, I only like “The Gate”. Maybe I can only appreciate it because I cannot fathom the depths that Bjӧrk has resurfaced from. Maybe the child in me still craves the starry-eyed, carefree Bjӧrk. The strange, distinctive, relentlessly imaginative Bjӧrk. Whatever Bjӧrk’s heart brought up with it when it resurfaced from the murky realm of despair, I don’t think it brought up the carefree, sunny Bjӧrk with it.

Funny, it is, to think about a gate. Only some things are allowed to pass through.

Colton Poore is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. He can be reached at clp222@cornell.edu.

]]>http://cornellsun.com/2017/09/23/paradise-reclaimed-the-gate-by-bjork/feed/1Spinning Singles: Lana Del Rey, “Lust For Life”http://cornellsun.com/2017/04/20/spinning-singles-lana-del-rey-lust-for-life/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss
http://cornellsun.com/2017/04/20/spinning-singles-lana-del-rey-lust-for-life/#commentsThu, 20 Apr 2017 14:48:21 +0000http://cornellsun.com/?p=1399522Lana Del Rey’s new song “Lust For Life” debuted on BBC1 on April 19. The song is the titular track off her upcoming album. It features rich vocals and a collaboration between Lana and the singer Abel Tesfaye of The Weeknd. The track opens with Lana Del Rey’s seductively saying “Climb up the H of the Hollywood sign, in these stolen moments, the world is mine.” These sultry lyrics are followed by “we’re the masters of our own fate.” Lana’s vocals proved to be just as mellifluous as usual, and her performance gave off similar vibes to her first album Born to Die.

I felt that the collaboration between Lana Del Rey and Abel Tesfaye was disappointing. The Weeknd’s addition to the song comes off as forced and contrived. Nothing about his performance felt unique or exciting. Moreover, I was left wanting more from him. The blend of the two artists’ voices lacks chemistry as they did not complement one another. Additionally, I think that it was not a good choice to collaborate on the main album’s featurette.

During Mistajam’s interview with Lana Del Rey, the singer was personable and down to earth. Mistajam introduced her song as “the hottest record in the world,” and said that she and Abel “nailed that 60s throwback.” She responded that this track was perfect for a collaboration with The Weeknd.

In light of her coming album, Lust For Life, she also released a trailer that gives off whimsical vibes and features the Hollywood Sign as the backdrop. This setting was also mentioned in her title track “Lust For Life.” Her coming album will feature impressive collaborations and a great range of sounds from pop to romantic acoustics. She has not yet announced a release date for the album, but her fans are anxiously waiting.Isabella York is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at iy43@cornell.edu.

]]>http://cornellsun.com/2017/04/20/spinning-singles-lana-del-rey-lust-for-life/feed/2Spinning Singles: Eleven, “Step Forward”http://cornellsun.com/2017/04/19/spinning-singles-eleven-step-forward/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss
http://cornellsun.com/2017/04/19/spinning-singles-eleven-step-forward/#commentsWed, 19 Apr 2017 19:06:59 +0000http://cornellsun.com/?p=1395446Two of the newest artists to watch are currently working through their undergrad at the University of Pennsylvania. Eleven, a budding band started by Blue Bookhard and Karis Stephens, recently released their single “Step Forward.” Bookhard floats you in with sounds just shy of evanescent, before dipping down to more grounded tones on the synth. Stephen wanders onto the beat moments later, with a voice smoothed out by her acapella experience. She leaves traces of an Alessandra Cara kind of lull, while dishing out lyrics more fitting to an album by Marian Hill, a more established Philadelphia duo, “You don’t like the rain/a gemini too, 5’6” on a good day.”

Unsurprisingly, Blue attributes Samantha Gongol and Jeremy Lloyd (the duo Marian Hill) as having significant influence on the developing sound of Eleven, drawing on their melding of jazz, r&b, synthpop and the cherry-on-top layer of vocals. Eleven avoids the trap of becoming a copycat group by sticking to Stephen’s stronger, deeper vocal range and Bookhard’s more experimental hand on the synth. According to the group, they have also been influenced by Jhené Aiko and Mayer Hawthorne, though that is not so evident in “Step Forward,” because the single exudes more pop than experimental or soul. But, it’s easy to picture how the duo could shape themselves to adopt more of these artists’ elements.

While both artists identify a strong jazz influence in their work, Stephen also recognizes a pull towards pop in her vocals. Bookhard, drawing on his experience as a drummer, sees his sound as carrying a strong Caribbean influence that he intends to push alongside the R&B and jazz elements in Eleven’s work moving forward. The duo looks to the similar blending done by Drake and Rihanna as inspiration to explore the space between genres in their own music. “As a DJ,” he finds that “things fit together like a puzzle.”
All the puzzle pieces in “Step Forward” seem to be right where they should be. Though the single leans heavily on the influences from other artists, it nonetheless stands apart from them — it’s a catchy song that you will want to listen to days later. Stephen and Bookhard aren’t at the same peak performance of duos they look up to, but they’ll ease into it with time and practice. In the meantime, we’ve all got a great new line for that one guy who won’t stop kind of insulting you and kind of hitting on you: “you’re that piece of gum stuck on my shoe/that phone bill 3 weeks overdue/like the note that’s not on the chord/hell no, stand back, real brother step forward.”

Editor’s Note: Currently, the music video is only available via Facebook and is embedded in this article.

Jessie Weber is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at jlw372@cornell.edu.

]]>http://cornellsun.com/2017/04/19/spinning-singles-eleven-step-forward/feed/1Spinning Singles: Tinashe, “Flame”http://cornellsun.com/2017/03/27/spinning-singles-tinashe-flame/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss
http://cornellsun.com/2017/03/27/spinning-singles-tinashe-flame/#commentsTue, 28 Mar 2017 00:22:21 +0000http://cornellsun.com/?p=1281722With the best assets of a dancer, model, songwriter and singer wrapped into one package, Tinashe has the makings of a superstar. From her dazzling performances on tour to her collection of mixtapes and albums, the star potential is evident in everything in which she partakes. After being enchanted by her feature on Snakehips’ “All My Friends,” I’ve held the belief that she’s one of the most talented artists in the business. And yet, not everyone shares my romanticized view of the songstress. Maybe you vaguely remember her face, never heard of her before, or worse, forgot that she even exists. There’s a gap between her talent and her popularity, making her musical career thus far an unfortunate conundrum.

Despite a series of releases over the past two years, she hasn’t succeeded in creating a hit since 2014’s “2 On.” Her 2016 summer single “Superlove,” despite its catchy lyrics and seductive music video, never garnered the recognition that it deserved. The digital album Nightride received solid acclaim from critics, but overall underperformed on the charts, peaking at 89 on the Billboard 200. Of course, the charts don’t tell everything; in the way that one test score doesn’t necessarily tell how smart you are, an artist’s peak on a chart isn’t always the best indicator of their quality of sound.Though she’s trying her best to capture the attention of a larger audience, she continuously comes up short. Hopefully the shortcomings will end with the release of her latest single, “Flame.”

The song has the mixture of a heartfelt hook and an infectious bridge that, in a sensible world, would easily make it at least a short-term hit. Tinashe doesn’t deviate heavily from her past work, matching her subtly soulful voice with upbeat tempos throughout “Flame”. The lyrics “C’mon, tell me that you’ve still got the flame for me / And tell me that you still want to stay, don’t leave” may seem generic, but in an eerie way mirror her relationship to the listeners. It’s the cry of a pop star fading before she becomes a mainstream artist, desperately holding on to the fans that she has while exposing herself to a wider audience.

Whether or not “Flame” succeeds will be an indicator of Tinashe’s future in the industry. It’s possible that the lack of substantial promotion for her singles, and her latest digital album Nightride, is what continues to prevent her mainstream breakthrough. It’s also possible that people just don’t give her enough of a chance, simply marking her off as ‘just a pretty face’ after listening to a couple of her songs. Maybe it’s just that the way that the music business is set up makes it difficult for multiple female artists to exist. I don’t have the answers. What I do have is faith that Tinashe’s next album, Joyride, will deliver more of the enchanting vocals that first made me want to hear more.

Jonvi Rollins is a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences. He can be reached at djr277@cornell.edu

]]>http://cornellsun.com/2017/03/27/spinning-singles-tinashe-flame/feed/1Spinning Singles: EDMONDSON, “Meanwhile”http://cornellsun.com/2017/03/15/spinning-singles-edmondson-meanwhile/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss
http://cornellsun.com/2017/03/15/spinning-singles-edmondson-meanwhile/#respondWed, 15 Mar 2017 18:32:48 +0000http://cornellsun.com/?p=1218627Legendary producer and so-called “Fifth Beatle,” George Martin, once told a story about the 1967 classic “Strawberry Fields Forever.” According to Martin, the track’s slow build, its fusion of traditional rock elements with studio innovation, came about after a frustrated John Lennon decided to join two different versions of the song together in the studio.

Beatles comparisons are a lot—but “Meanwhile,” the new track off EDMONDSON’s upcoming record, Strange Durations, recalls some of their later work like “Fields” in its willingness to push the listener in unexpected directions. Beginning with bittersweet piano licks, the track veers into new territory midway, eventually settling into a horn-driven groove, as sassy as its first bars are reflective. It includes shakers, changing time signatures and what sounds like a circus whistle. “Meanwhile” assembles its pieces into an intriguingly new sound, one that challenges the listener while inviting her in.

The experimentation fits the subject of the song, which explores the difficulty of finding words to express yourself; to really communicate and, as the song puts it, “hear the right thing to say.” Expressing yourself musically is just as hard, and that’s what the changes over the course of “Meanwhile” accomplish: finding the right pieces to create the right experience.

EDMONDSON, made up of two brothers—Jack and Robert—use their fraternal bond and shared musicality to carve out a fresh style. Their debut album, due out in May, looks to be one of the most exciting new records on the indie scene in recent memory.

Max Van Zile is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. He can be reached at mvanzile@cornellsun.com.

]]>http://cornellsun.com/2017/03/15/spinning-singles-edmondson-meanwhile/feed/0Spinning Singles: Lorde, “Green Light”http://cornellsun.com/2017/03/12/spinning-singles-lorde-green-light/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss
http://cornellsun.com/2017/03/12/spinning-singles-lorde-green-light/#commentsSun, 12 Mar 2017 21:44:47 +0000http://cornellsun.com/?p=1203826Lorde is an icon. She’s the voice of our generation, and old folks are jealous for it. David Brooks and the rest of the fake news media don’t actually think of millennials as hopelessly privileged social media zombies. Instead, they resent that we had Pure Heroine, Lorde’s 2013 opus, where they had disco or whatever your parents promote as “real music.” With Heroine, Lorde delivered an album-length testament to teenage glory, told not by an aged folk singer nostalgic for his pink carnations and his pickup truck, but rather by one of our peers – a precocious 17 year-old already wise about her formative years.

Lorde’s age at the time suggested something akin to a child prodigy, but it also proved an essential component to her songwriting. George Orwell once said that whoever writes about their childhood “must beware of exaggeration and self-pity.” On Heroine, Lorde deftly avoided both, treating the all-too-real emotions of our teenage years with an honesty not yet distorted by nostalgia or dismissed by jadedness.

Now at the grand old age of 20, Lorde has reemerged from her extended silence bearing gifts—the single “Green Light” and the promise of a new album, Melodrama. The song is essentially a breakup anthem, but delivered with an alien intensity unique to the young pop star (as embodied by her I-dare-you-to-look-away gaze in the accompanying music video). It builds in a way that jars the listener, starting slowly as Lorde delivers spiteful blows to a former lover (“She thinks you love the beach, you’re such a damn liar”) before shifting into a feverish, admittedly frightening falsetto. The transitions might make for a confusing first listen, but all is forgiven by the time that euphoric piano loop kicks in, and the palpable contempt of the verses gives way to pop music catharsis. Try as you might, you’ll crank the volume every time.

Chris Stanton is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. He can be reached at cms459@cornell.edu.

]]>http://cornellsun.com/2017/03/12/spinning-singles-lorde-green-light/feed/2Spinning Singles: Coldplay, “Hypnotised”http://cornellsun.com/2017/03/02/spinning-singles-coldplay-hypnotised/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss
http://cornellsun.com/2017/03/02/spinning-singles-coldplay-hypnotised/#respondFri, 03 Mar 2017 01:16:29 +0000http://cornellsun.com/?p=1158304Upon seeing the cover art for Coldplay’s newest single “Hypnotised,” I feared that they had not yet put their 2015 album, A Head Full of Dreams, to rest. The single was released today without any previous announcement, which shocked me. Regardless, I feared that once more, Coldplay would try to blend in with what’s mainstream instead of retaining their signature mellow style. Their recent release of the collaboration single with The Chainsmokers, “Something Just Like This,” affirmed my doubts even if it was a good, catchy song. I love Coldplay, but I must say that A Head Full of Dreams appeared to have been written by a procrastinating college student at 3AM, and that’s not even getting into the terrible CGI chimpanzee versions of Coldplay in the music video for “Adventure of a Lifetime.” I nearly lost hope in Coldplay, but not quite. I continue to hope for another beautiful album like Ghost Stories, Parachutes or X&Y. Miraculously, the new single, “Hyponotised,” exponentiated my small hopes.

“Hypnotised” brought back memories of the 2014 album Ghost Stories, by far my favorite Coldplay album. Just as the tracks from Ghost Stories, “Hypnotised” featured a repeating arpeggiating piano melody in the background, along with the haunting, barely-there wailing guitar sounds, laid back percussion and harmonious strings. Chris Martin’s unique voice and high notes add the nostalgic, mellow splash every Coldplay song needs and reaffirm the promise that the upcoming EP, Kaleidoscope, (to be released on June 2nd) holds. Earlier, Martin announced on Twitter that the EP will feature five songs, including “Something Just Like This” and “Hypnotised.” Thankfully, Coldplay seems to be heading back to their beautiful, emotional Ghost Stories era, which appeared to have been interrupted by the annoyingly experimental album A Head Full of Dreams. Kaleidoscope appears to be heading in an even more positive direction than Ghost Stories. Chris Martin was going through a confusing time in 2014, as he and his wife Gwyneth Paltrow announced their separation. This awkward turn of events brought Martin an emotional awakening of sorts, and with it, Ghost Stories. However, “Hypnotised” is not hinting at anything either sad or haunting. Instead, the single hints at the new beginnings and personal growth that follow emotional distress, and is still beautiful. Martin’s high long notes combined with the harmonious accompaniment pack a hypnotizing load of emotion sure to mesmerize both new and old listeners alike.

The self-loving message found in the lyrics warms the heart, and as Martin sings “Threading the needle/fixing my flame/now I’m moved to exclaim oh again and again,” I knew I wanted to listen to the whole EP as soon as it was released if this was the amount of emotion being delivered. I’ll admit that for the rest of the day after I listened to the single, I felt an extreme sense of nostalgia and turned into glorious Coldplay fan trash and listened to their music all day. I missed the old Coldplay, especially pre-Mylo Xyloto. Coldplay is bringing elements from their old music back and keeping the emotion they always had, something they were unable to accomplish after Mylo Xyloto, save for Ghost Stories. “Hypnotised” left me wanting more. Long time listeners, like me, are aching to get Coldplay back, and now it looks like soon we will all get to be sad again just as we were as we listened to “The Scientist” or “Another’s Arms” for the first time. And we will all love it.

Viri Garcia is a freshman in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She can be reached at vg235@cornell.edu

]]>http://cornellsun.com/2017/03/02/spinning-singles-coldplay-hypnotised/feed/0Spinning Singles: Lecrae, “Blessings”http://cornellsun.com/2017/02/07/spinning-singles-lecrae-blessings/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss
http://cornellsun.com/2017/02/07/spinning-singles-lecrae-blessings/#respondTue, 07 Feb 2017 23:42:42 +0000http://cornellsun.com/?p=1053788For a genre whose lyrics are typically built off of braggadocio and pride, hip-hop has been taking a humbler stance recently. Maybe “humble” is not the right word, but amidst the bombastic bangers and club hits, a few artists have put out introspective tracks acknowledging where they were in the past and thanking those who have helped them achieve success. Big Sean’s third single “Blessings” from 2015’s Dark Sky Paradise was an eerie and spectral track which saw him shout out his grandma and mom for their support. Likewise, the infectious, gospel-inspired “Blessings” off of Chance the Rapper’s Coloring Book though much more light-hearted, continued this same theme, with Chano expressing gratitude to God. So in 2017 when Lecrae releases a new single of the same name, does he offer anything new? Is it a worthy entry to the solidly established canon of “Blessings,” or is it merely a rehash of what’s been said before?

A lot has happened since Lecrae’s 2014 LP Anomaly, which skyrocketed him to mainstream stardom. Since then, the Texas-born rapper performed several times at Jimmy Fallon and at the BET Hip-Hop Awards, while Anomaly debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Charts (eventually being certified Gold) and two tracks received Grammy Nominations. Just this past year, he signed to Columbia Records, joining labelmates Beyoncé, Adele, and Pharell Williams. That’s a lot to be thankful for, but rather than turning his “Blessings” into an anthem of egoism, ‘Crae transforms the track into a chant of thanksgiving.

Lecrae’s cognizance is apparent throughout the song. Even before releasing the track he knew that the single’s title would make it prone to comparison to Big Sean and Chance’s tracks. But he skillfully plays with expectation, respectfully mimicking styles of his contemporaries before plunging headfirst into his own sound. He playfully adopts Migos’ signature triplet flow in the single’s opening lines, while ecstatically asking “Where the choir at?!” with Chance-like glee.

You can appreciate his homages, but then the track moves on at breakneck speed, supported by the slapping bass. Unless you’re listening carefully, you can miss his thesis: “Won’t take that credit / I know where we get it / Them blessings be comin’ from God above.” The delivery is effortless, and Lecrae rides the radio-friendly beat with mastery, fluctuating his flow between fastidious and lackadaisical. Lecrae’s contemplative lyrics as he looks backs on his past contrasts nicely with the track’s modern and expeditious pace, almost as if to say that before he goes forward, he wants to pay tribute to his upbringing. He celebrates the small blessings of life but acknowledges that in the grand scheme of things, God is in control.

But the most indispensable aspect of the track is, without a doubt, Ty Dolla $ign, who offers a mellifluous hook that latches itself onto the beat. His almost lazily wars with the bass and snares, often trying to get his lines in before the beat drops. In contrast to Lecrae’s somewhat frenzied flow, Ty’s delivery is relaxed and composed, lightly stating “I’m too busy counting all these blessings.” You can imagine him recording his verse sitting in the shade of a tree, the sun hitting his face and breezily auto-tuning the chorus. His verse, while short, nicely compliments Lecrae’s spiritual elements as he raps “If you woke up in the morning it’s a blessing.”

“Blessings” proves that Lecrae has still got the juice and that his tracks can stand next to hip-hop’s elite. Yet at the same time, many points do feel uninspired. From Lecrae’s prior catalogue, it seemed as though he championed faith over form. While the form is undeniably a huge step of up from prior releases, aspects of faith seem somewhat diminished. Compared to Chance’s “Blessings” which featured more overt biblical references, for an artist who was labeled as a “Christian rapper” for most of his career, Lecrae’s “Blessings” feels like somewhat of a missed opportunity to incorporate even more theology. At a time when spirituality and hip-hop seem to be playing more and more in each other’s ball parks, I hope that Lecrae’s next studio album (expected to be released at the top of 2017) will have the same chutzpah and boldness of Anomaly.

Zachary Lee is a freshman in the college of Arts and Sciences. He can be reached at zjl4@cornell.edu

]]>http://cornellsun.com/2017/02/07/spinning-singles-lecrae-blessings/feed/0The Purest Form of Adulation: “Carolina”http://cornellsun.com/2017/02/05/the-purest-form-of-adulation-carolina/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss
http://cornellsun.com/2017/02/05/the-purest-form-of-adulation-carolina/#respondSun, 05 Feb 2017 23:32:24 +0000http://cornellsun.com/?p=1045437The Mexican music scene is highly underrated, especially when it comes to anything that isn’t bachata, reggaeton, cumbia or other mainstream genres. Right now, one type of music that truly represents art is a hybrid of acoustic and indie with a splash an indescribable psychedelic element, which not many Mexican artists have mastered. It’s the type of music that you don’t have to understand in order to sway along to it or have it end up stuck in your head like a sweet daydream playing over and over again. I’m talking about music by artists like Siddhartha, León Larregui, Zoé and now Salvador y el Unicornio. However, if you do understand the lyrics, the experience is much more lucid and indulging.

Salvador y el Unicornio belongs to Panoram, the same record label as León Larregui and Zoé, which explains why his style seems to parallel theirs. However, while León Larregui and Zoé have been making music since 2001, Salvador y el Unicornio has just debuted, and “Carolina” is his second single so far, and it sounds promising. Perhaps he can bring Mexican music to a broader audience along with León Larregui and Zoé. However, since his first single, “Agua de Coco,” has not received much attention, we’re obliged to give him more time to see whether he’s really what the Mexican music scene needs to reach a broader audience and gain the appreciation it deserves.

“Carolina” may sound and seem like your standard love song, but the lyrics go beyond that and relay a sweet poem to a girl named Carolina, described by the lines “Ella es pelo rizo ojos de miel miel. Su lado oscuro me hace ver su delicadez,” which translates to “She has curly hair and eyes of honey. Her dark side reveals how delicate she is.” As we see the rise of this genre, most of their songs are love songs, but what truly sets them apart is the description of their muse. The first lines of “Carolina” could be parallel to those found in León Larregui’s “Birdie”, which are “Mi ensoñación, transparente y bella. Pura como el sol, eres real, y el espíritu más dulce que hay,” translating to “You’re all of my dreams, transparent and beautiful, pure like the sun. You’re real and the sweetest spirit to exist.” Of course, to someone who doesn’t know Spanish, the beauty of these lyrics would not be fully appreciated, not only due to the language barrier, but because of the different connotations words have in Spanish. To a native Spanish-speaker, these are the types of words you fall in love with or you wish you could write to someone you love deeply. They’re more genuine than when they’re translated properly to English. Regardless, these types of songs themselves actually speak clearly enough and are enjoyable, just as “Carolina” is.

“Carolina” starts off with a quick guitar riff and jumps straight into the lyrics as acoustic guitar strums can be heard in the background along with a rhythmic guiro, which adds a Latin American flavor to the song. Additionally, Salvador Sahagún has a unique voice, much different from most American and Mexican artists, which is another reason to give the song a listen. Just after listening to it for the first time, I found myself singing the name Carolina along with Salvador Sahagún and realized just how lighthearted and genuine it was. I’m an avid fan of both León Larregui and Zoé, and listening to “Carolina” felt like the first time I listened to León Larregui’s 2016 album Voluma or when I found out Zoé is going to release an album this summer. Additionally, not only did Sahagún release a single, but the music video to go along with it.

The music video features him and his beloved Carolina on that romantic carnival date everyone has dreamt of at some point. The video alternates between scenes of the date and of Sahagún immersed in a bathtub. However, the scenes of the date mainly focus on Carolina, showing just how beautiful, mesmerizing and dear she is to Salvador. As the video progresses, so does the date, all while Sahagún continues to lay in the bathtub. In the ending of the video, Carolina is seen on her phone trying to reach Sahagún, which wakes him from his bathtub trance. Even if the music video alternated between both Salvador and Carolina, its focus remained mostly on Carolina to emphasize just how much he has idolized her in the purest way possible.

Overall, “Carolina” was like cherry soda: fizzy and maybe a bit too sweet, but not so it doesn’t make you want to stop drinking it. Artists like Salvador y el Unicornio are definitely worth listening to even if their songs are in Spanish, as they contain not only beautiful, loving messages, but a unique array of sounds that are getting harder and harder to find in both American and Mexican music.

Viri Garcia is a freshman in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She can be reached at vg235@cornell.edu

]]>http://cornellsun.com/2017/02/05/the-purest-form-of-adulation-carolina/feed/0Spinning Singles: Depeche Mode, “Where’s the Revolution”http://cornellsun.com/2017/02/03/spinning-singles-depeche-mode-wheres-the-revolution/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss
http://cornellsun.com/2017/02/03/spinning-singles-depeche-mode-wheres-the-revolution/#respondFri, 03 Feb 2017 18:10:02 +0000http://cornellsun.com/?p=1034257Everything is chaotic right now, and not just in America. The whole world is spinning endlessly into an abyss of terror and uncertainty. Does anyone know what’s going on anymore? What can we do and how? How much time do we have left? I constantly feel myself being sucked into a spiral of anxieties and questions as I look around me and wonder how we got here.

We are living in a world full of noise: alternative facts, fake news, the media, conspiracies, secrets, dictators and unrest. Perhaps this is why after four years, Depeche Mode is making a comeback with their newest single, “Where’s the Revolution”. Every political injustice comes with repercussions: protests, violence, revolution and what essentially becomes the people’s “anthem.” During 1968 protests, The Beatles’ Revolution drove and inspired the people, and now Depeche Mode’s newest single may prove to be its parallel if enough people understand the empowering message behind it.

“Where’s the Revolution,” Depeche Mode’s single from their upcoming album Spirit, features a steady, military rhythm fit for an army or protesters to march to. The opening of the track features a haunting silence and lead singer Dave Gahan’s voice presenting crude, repressed truths such as “You’ve been kept down, you’ve been pushed ‘round, you’ve been lied to, you’ve been fed truths.” He is sketching the dystopic scene we are living in and shading it with the questions “Who’s making your decisions? You or your religion?” This opening of the song is what you listen to when you’re in bed staring at the ceiling, thinking about things nobody wants to think about, such as a malfunctioning government and all the power it holds over the entire country. As the music builds up to the chorus, you realize just how corrupt everything around you is and ask yourself, “Where is the revolution?” just as Dave Gahan sings it.

After the cathartic first chorus, I knew that the song was going to keep stating truths and posing questions to the same steady rhythm, urging listeners to get up and carry out said revolution. This was not your classic love song like “Enjoy the Silence”. Depeche Mode seems to have other plans in store for Spirit. Even the title implies a step back from the overused, tired themes of love and suffering found in previous albums such as Playing the Angel and Delta Machine, almost as if the band has gone from being angsty teenagers in the ‘80s to wise, activist parents. The powerful message that “Where’s the Revolution” conveys goes to show that in such times, music becomes more important than ever. There’s a soundtrack to everything, and Depeche Mode has just given us our soundtrack to late night thoughts of revolt against political injustices. The title of the song is not a question, but a statement, which implies that we will rise up and revolt rather than continues to doubt ourselves and question our actions while we fight each other. The lyrics “The train is coming so get on board” tell us that now is the perfect time to act, else it will be too late and we will go back to repression and lies.

Regardless of the new theme that Depeche Mode seems to be exploring, their signature popping, rhythmic synth sounds can be heard throughout the track, giving it its classic ‘80s vibe they have kept constant regardless of changing times. Even if anything past their 1990 album Violator takes getting used to, their style remains true to its time, a quality that is getting harder and harder to find in music. Overall, “Where’s the Revolution” left me hoping for a better tomorrow brought on by us, rather than relying on our increasingly dysfunctional government to change.

Viri Garcia is a freshman in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She can be reached at vg235@cornell.edu